Jesus said, “…love each other.”John 13:34

Dear Friends:

Not long ago, a person of deep faith said to me when referring to a group different from their familiar group, “I love them, but…” Then, the person went on to tell me why it’s acceptable to exclude them. Oh my. “It’s so easy! Why don’t we just do it?” These words come from the mouths of so many as we turn toward Jesus’ truth only to discover how very difficult it is to love one another. We need Jesus to help us “love each other.” On Sunday we’ll look at the ethics of Jesus commanding us love one another. Ethics, as you know, is what we “ought” to do. We are followers of Jesus Christ. As followers of Christ, there is a certain practice we take on in Christian ethics. Ethics is the moral character of God. In other words, as disciples, we strive to understand how the world fits together as God in Christ would have it fit together. In our baptism, we’re taught Christian ethics.

We agree, with God’s help, to practice the words of our Baptismal Covenant, to continue with the teaching of Christ, join together in fellowship, resist evil, repent, with word and example proclaim the Good News of God in Christ, strive for justice and peace, respect the dignity of all people, and seek and serve Christ, loving your neighbor as yourself. As practitioners of Christian ethics, our norms and standards may look a bit different than the rest of the world. Jesus knows Christian ethics is no easy task. But, says Jesus, we’re able to practice the moral character of God, because God in Christ has been glorified in us through the life, death and resurrection of Christ. It’s a tall order, loving one another, and living a life that glorifies God.

Each week in Wednesday morning 7:00 a.m. drive by prayers, we end with the closing words from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians: “Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine…” (Book of Common Prayerpage 102). I’m grateful for Paul’s letter to the church of Ephesus as he reminds us that living an ethical life, living as God commands we ought to live, can only come through the power of God working in us. Thanks be to God for giving us the power that can do more than we can ask or imagine. We are a blessed people to be loved by God and believed in by God with such abundance.

So, what might our command of Christian ethics look like as we love one another. First, loving as Christ loves us, does not mean we select. We don’t love “kind of”. We love with action. How do we serve the other? How do we care for the other? How do we say the tough words of accountability with only love and not anger or revenge? Second, the author of John’s gospel writes continually of Jesus’ love for us that we will reorient ourselves as a community of believers. We’re required to socially relocate ourselves from the societal norms to a community of kingdom dwellers with Godly norms that would well resemble our Baptismal promises. Finally, again, what does it look like, the Christian Ethical living of God? Well, you only have as far as your Bible to see the trend of sacrifice, humility, generosity, kindness and selflessness that comes with the teaching of Christian ethics. Look throughout:

Leviticus 19:11; John 13:14; John 13:34; John 13:35; Romans 12:10; Romans 12:16; Romans 13:8; Romans 14:13; Romans 15:7; Romans 15:14; Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 4:2; Ephesians 4:32; Ephesians 5:19; Ephesians 5:21; Colossians 3:13; Colossians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:24; Hebrews 10:25; James 4:11; 1 Peter 3:8; 1 Peter 4:9; 1 Peter 5:5; 1 John 1:7; 1 John 3:11; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:7; 1 John 4:11; 1 John 4:12; 1 Peter 4:8; James 5:16; James 5:9; Hebrews 13:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; Colossians 3:13; Colossians 3:9; Philippians 4:2; Ephesians 4:32; Galatians 5:26; Galatians 6:2; 1 Corinthians 12:25; Galatians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 11:33; Romans 1:12; Ephesians 4:16; Philippians 2:3-5.

Take on a Christian Ethics Challenge.Over the next weeks, each day, (there are 56 passages) read, study and inwardly digest one piece of the scripture passages above. Write down the words. Live out the words. Uncover the kingdom of God in Christian Ethics and celebrate Jesus’ command to “love each other.” Be amazed as God’s world invades!

Sunday, as always, is a full day. Worship at 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. will touch on Jesus’ love command. Sunday School for kids age three through elementary begins at 9:45. A staffed nursery is held for children 0-3 beginning at 9:30 a.m. We’ll be hearing some amazing news about the ongoing success of the Raise the Roof Campaign. Sunday Circle follows worship for the youth. A full worship meeting is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. in the worship space. From 5:00-7:00 p.m. Parent Support Group is gathering with babysitting available. Parents, bring a friends, a neighbor and a simple pot luck dinner, and enjoy one another’s support and love. God continues to bless us to be a blessing! Well done good and faithful followers of Christ!!

See you Sunday faithful ones.

Blessings,

Hillary